(1) Field of the Invention
My invention provides an environmentally safe method for controlling insects. More specifically, my method prevents or deters the invasion of social insects—that is, those insects that move systematically and en masse into areas where their presence is undesirable, such as buildings, dwellings, houses and other constructions. The invention also provides a method for disorienting social insects and preventing them from pursuing their target pathways or reaching their intended locations. My invention also provides a method for detecting the presence or appearance of social insects. The invention also provides means adapted for controlling or detecting insects, more specifically, social insects. Such means comprise building or construction elements or materials adapted to control or deter the infestation by social insects.
(2) Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98
Social insects such as ants or other insects live in colonies with large populations. They leave their colonies or nests regularly to pursue various instinct-driven functions or tasks depending on the social status and the mission of the individual. It is well known that worker ants, for example, have functions different from those of warrior ants.
In pursuit of these functions, worker ants will leave their colony and migrate over considerable distances (many multiples of their body size) on their target pathways to reach their intended locations. If their nest is in the vicinity of buildings or dwellings, they will frequently enter these buildings through small openings or cracks and, once having entered, will use certain preferred pathways. Buildings are often constructed with a narrow opening or groove between the wall material of a building and the floor material along the walls, a groove which social insects can use as a convenient pathway to reach their target location. For example, during a dry period, ants may seek out a water faucet. Alternatively, worker ants may search for food or other insects or insect larvae that they live on—for example, termites—or will search out other insects with which they have a symbiotic relationship.
The infestation by social insects of buildings or dwellings is very difficult to control. Insecticides are frequently used, such as boric acid, arsenic oxide, or phosphorous-organic compounds, which are often sprayed onto the ground, usually outside buildings. However, I have found that the application of insecticides often provides only temporary relief. The social insects tend frequently to reappear, often after only a few weeks of application. In addition, because social insect infestations are very common, the firms that offer spray services are much in demand; as a result, customers may have to order such services days or even weeks before the firms are able to come to the infested location. Over the years that I have attempted to control infestation by social insects, particularly ants, I have noticed that infestations do not occur in any easily predictable pattern, which makes the use of spraying services a less than workable solution. In order to achieve continuous control, the spraying services will offer regular applications (for example, every three months), but such an application will use a significant amount of insecticide material, and not necessarily when there is a peak in the infestation. In addition, these services are expensive. Most importantly, I am very reluctant to use spraying services especially inside the house, because of the exposure of human beings (particularly children) or domestic animals to the highly toxic insecticides. Even the more toxic products are not, for all that, immediately effective. This is the case even for those products, which the consumer may purchase, and use on his own. In the case of commercially available ant traps, for example, poisoned insects are still able to leave the baits and continue to migrate until they die. In fact, for such insecticidal applications to work, the ants that have ingested the poison must go back to their nest and poison other ants including the queen. It is self-evident that the migration of poisoned insects in a family dwelling is not desirable, particularly in the food areas, such as a kitchen or pantry. I have frequently used baits with insecticidal material, such as sugar with boric acid, which is commercially available. However, such commercially available baits are only effective for a relatively short time period, are frequently in need of replacement, and are quite expensive. While boric acid is the least toxic to humans and pets, it is the least effective against ants. In addition, in family dwellings, toxic baits are a considerable hazard to children and pets. For that reason, water companies and the agencies administering federal, state or local anti-pollution programs are very concerned about the use of these baits, as I note below.
The insecticidal sprays and powders are often poisons that do not work selectively on the social insects to be controlled, but are also toxic to other social insects, which should not be affected by the insecticide. In addition, the use of insecticides in the vicinity of fruit trees or vegetables is not desirable. Furthermore, most of the sprays or powders available cause allergic reactions in humans or animals; therefore, it is undesirable to use them indoors. Finally, social insects, such as ants, certainly carry out useful functions in their natural environment. For example, ants are generally beneficial in the garden. They attack termites and eat the larvae and eggs of many pests, including fleas and aphids. Therefore, the ultimate object of a social insect control program would not be to kill the insects but to prevent infestation by insects of buildings, dwellings and other structures. I believe that the currently offered solutions do not achieve the desired objectives.
I studied a lot of literature on the subject of ant control, including a brochure issued by the Santa Clara Pollution Prevention Program in January 1997, entitled Urban Runoff Pollution. This brochure suggested caulking openings where the ants enter the house. This solution is not really practicable, because one does not always know where the openings are, and even the tiniest openings will permit ants to enter buildings. In addition, not all areas are suitable for caulking. However, when I caulked openings near my kitchen windowsill, I noted that ants trying to crawl over the freshly caulked area got stuck in the caulking. This observation prompted me to investigate a non-chemical, mechanical solution to the problem. I then applied diatomaceous earth to the cracks, as suggested by the brochure, but noticed little or no effect. This powder cannot, moreover, be applied in all situations.
After having been the victim of ant infestation of my kitchen for many years during which I had not been able to find a satisfactory solution to this problem, I discovered a very simple, environmentally safe solution in the form of a mechanical method, which does not require the use of any insecticide, and is highly effective and affordable. Also, the materials used can be re-used without any limitation.